Air-heater for fruit-driers



A.-P. MEYLERT. Air-Heater for Fruit-Briers.

NJEIERS, FHoYO-LITHOGRAPMEH. WASHINGTON. n 6,

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ASA P. MEYLERT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AIR-HEATER FOR FRUIT-DRIERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 226,183, dated April 6 1880.

Application filed July 30, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ASA P. MEYLERT, of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Heaters for Fruit-Driers, &c., of which the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of my improved airheater for fruit-driers and similar apparatus, with parts broken away to show interior construction; and Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same on line :0 as, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to furnish for fruit-driers and other drying apparatus an improved air-heater, by which the heat of a cooking-stove, range, or furnace may be utilized and transmitted to the drier proper, so that farmers and others are enabled to dry their fruit and other articles in a very convenient and economical manner.

The device may also be used with advantage in connection with air-heating furnaces for warming, ventilation, &c.

My improved air-heater is based on the principle of conducting the heat to an intermediate body which is a good conductor of heat and which has a relatively large surface, so that the air, on passing through the heater, is divided and brought into contact with a large heating-surface, and is then conducted over the articles to be dried or into the room to be warmed or ventilated.

The invention consists of an inclosing frame, box, or casing, which is open at both the top and bottom, but closed at the sides, and provided with interior shoulders or seats at the lower edge for supporting a wire screen. On the wire screen are placed metallic heat-conductors, on the heat conductors a second screen, thereon another layer of heat-conductors, and so on. From the metallic heat-conductors and screens extend downward to the stove or other source of heat heat-conducting pins, by which the heat may be taken up and transmitted to the heat-conductors.

Referring to the drawings, which show the usual form of the apparatus, A represents the outer casing or box of my improved air-heater bers or other rooms.

as adapted to small fruit-driers and similar apparatus.

The casing A is made of suitable sheet metal, and supported on legs a, so that the atmospheric air can freely enter from all sides to the space at the inside of the casing. On bottom shoulders, rests, or other supports, 1), at the inside of the casiu g A, is supported a coarselymeshed wire screen, B, on which is placed a number of metallic heat-conductors, O, which are preferably made of iron or of any other material of good heat-cond uctin g quality. I have made these heat-conductors in the shape of spirals, as thereby a large surface within a small space is obtained and a free passage of the air is secured. This surface can be increased by inserting one or more smaller spirals into the outer or larger spirals.

A wire screen, B, is placed on the top of the metallic conductors C, so as to retain them in position. On the second wire screen another series of metallic conductors is arranged, which, however, are placed at right angles to the first series. They are held in position by a third screen, 13 ,011 which still another series of conductors may be placed and inclosed by a screen, and so on, as many as may be desirable for the purpose used. The coils of wire may also be superposed one above the other, if desired, without interposing screens.

From the lowermost screen, or from the screen next above the same, extend downward fixed or loose conducting-pins D, which form contact with the surface of the stove, range, or other source of heat. Those conducting-pins take up the heat and transmit it to the screens and metallic conductors, so as to heat them up to a high degree, in conjunction with the heat radiated thereon from the stove. The screens and conductors furnish thereby a large heatin g-surface, over which the air-has to pass, and by which a large quantity of air is heated up to a considerable temperature.

The hot air, being lighter, rises continually, and passes then through the drier or to the room orspace to be heated, so as to efi'ectually dry the articles exposed to the hot air on the different shelves, or supply heated air to cham- As fresh air is continually drawn 'in and heated up by contact with the large surface of the conductors, a uniform circulation of hot air, and consequently an effective drying or heating action, takes place.

The air-heater may form the bottom portion of a drier, and is then built in one piece therewith; or it may be constructed as a separate apparatus, and thus allow thedrier to be placed on or around the same, as desired.

By the use of the heater, the heat of a cooking-stove, range, or common furnace may be utilized for heating air without any or with but little additional expense, and thereby eX- pensive stove or furnace arrangements may in many cases be dispensed with.

When the gases of combustion are not objectionable, the air-heater may be placed directly over the combustible material without the intervention of the ordinary covering of the stove.

The degree of heat remains quite uniform, never rising beyond reasonable limits, whatever may be the temperature of the stove, so that the burning of the fruit or other articles exposed to drying is prevented. V

The air-heater forms a useful and economical accessory to fruit-driers, and is of special advantage to farmers, as they can thereby dry their own fruit in a very convenient manner.

WVhen used for driers of larger size, the airheater is specially useful on account of the large volume of air which may be heated thereby and the protectionit furnishes against the burning of fruit.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. 1n air-heaters for fruit-driers, 860., the combination of an inclosing casing, frame, or box which is open at the top and bottom and provided with interior shoulders or seats, with a horizontal screen supported on the shoulders or seats of the frame, and with one or more layers of spiral metallic heat-conductors placed upon the screen, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In airheaters for fruit driers, 860., the combination of metallic heat-conductors inclosed within a frame, box, or casing, and supported therein, with conducting-pins that extend downward therefrom and form contact with the stove or other source of heat, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in air-heaters for fruitdriers, of a supporting casing, frame, or box with a horizontal screen, and with metallic heat-conducting pins, either loose or fixed, depending from the screen to the stove or other source of heat, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two Witnesses, this 29th day of July, 1879.

ASA P. MEYLERT.

Witnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, CARL KARP. 

